Tess parked her car outside Logan’s home. She hadn’t called him, hadn’t done any of the things a normal, sane woman would have done. She didn’t know whether she was more worried about him not helping, or what she’d do if he said he would.
As soon as everyone had left the café she’d put two muffins in a bag and driven across town. Logan’s home was different than what she’d expected. She’d thought he’d live in an apartment, a bachelor pad he could leave at the drop of a hat when he raced off to report on a story somewhere in the world.
The two-story home in front of her didn’t look like the sort of home you’d be away from for long. With its wide front porch, steep gabled roof and pretty garden, it looked like a home someone spent time in.
She picked up the muffins and the newspaper article sitting on the passenger seat. If she’d been able to think of an alternative solution, she wouldn’t be here. But Logan was the only person who knew who the bride and groom were. The only person that could help them.
She couldn’t let Sally, Molly, and Annie down. She couldn’t let the bride down.
Her shoes clicked on the stone driveway as she walked toward Logan’s home. She recited the words she’d practiced in the car. The ones that would make him realize how important it was that they find the bride.
She walked up the wooden steps, pushed the doorbell and waited.
The door opened and Tess plastered a polite smile on her face. She frowned, looked down, and tried not to stare. A little girl with short red hair stared up at her.
“You’re tall.”
“Stacey, I don’t think…” Logan looked at her. “Tess? What are you doing here?”
“I…” She couldn’t remember what she’d been going to say. She moved her hands and remembered the muffins. “These are for you. I’m sorry for intruding.” She turned to go.
“You’re not intruding,” Logan said quickly. “My sister and niece have been staying with me for the last week. They’re about to head home.”
“Uncle Logan helped mom pack the car,” Stacey said. “We’re going to the airport.”
“Logan, have you seen my wallet?” A pretty young woman stood beside Logan. The family resemblance was so strong that Tess would have pegged them as brother and sister even if she didn’t know they were related.
Logan nodded at Tess. “Jacqui, this is Tess. Tess, Jacqui.”
Jacqui held her hand out. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too.” Tess bit her bottom lip and tried to think of a good way of getting out of Logan’s front door. “Have a safe flight home. I’ll come back another day.”
Jacqui looked between her and Logan. “Don’t be silly.” She grabbed Tess’ arm and pulled her inside. “Logan never introduces us to any of his friends. I was beginning to think he didn’t have any.”
“Oh, but I’m not—”
“Our secret’s safe with Jacqui.” Logan put his arm around her waist and hauled her close.
Tess tried to step away from him, but he was every bit as strong as he looked. “What do you think you’re…” His mouth landed on hers and she almost bit his lip. Until she remembered what she was here for, then she kept her teeth to herself. She turned her head sideways, ignored the zap of electricity that almost made her forget that she didn’t like him, and looked down into the eyes of his niece.
“Uncle Logan kissed you.”
The words were said with such awe that Tess wondered if she’d ever seen her uncle kiss anyone. Tess thought wiping her mouth with the back of her hand was a bit rude under the circumstances, so she pulled a tissue out of her pocket and pretended to blow her nose.
Logan choked back a laugh.
She glared at him.
“I can’t believe Logan left it until now to introduce us.” Jacqui looked as though her brother had just announced Christmas was going to be postponed. “Mom will be disappointed she didn’t come to Bozeman.”
Tess sensed a chink in the white knight’s armor. At least she hoped he was a white knight. After his lip smacking deception, he’d better be something useful. If she said the right thing, Logan might not have a choice but to help them. But she needed to be careful, sneaky. Just like the love-struck reporter staring at her like he’d just made the biggest mistake of his life.
“Logan’s such a sweet guy,” Tess cooed. She dredged up everything she’d learned from her years on the catwalk and in front of a camera.
Logan looked as though she’d just run him over with a bulldozer.
Jacqui glowed with happiness. “We think so, too.” She glanced at her watch. “We’ve got ten minutes before we need to leave. Come into the living room.”
Logan must have sensed he was on the losing end of whatever joke he’d decided was worth playing. “Tess just stopped by to hello.”
Tess smiled sweetly at him. She stepped toward him and ran her finger along the side of his jaw. “It’s okay. I can stay for a few minutes.” Call her perverse, but she got such a kick out of seeing a blush creep along his cheeks that she leaned in even closer. “I’d like to get to know Jacqui better. You’ve said such lovely things about her and Stacey.”
“I’ll get the lemonade,” Stacey shouted as she ran down the hallway.
“We’re not going to have time,” Logan shouted back, with a hint of desperation in his voice.
Jacqui rolled her eyes. “Ignore my brother. He’s so secretive about his life that it’s a wonder he told us he was moving to Montana. Do you live in Bozeman, Tess?”
“I moved here a few years ago. I own a café in town.” Tess made sure she sat thigh to thigh with Logan. He smiled as he put his arm around her shoulders. He didn’t look embarrassed now. He looked as though he was settling in for a cozy night with the woman of his dreams.
Except Tess didn’t want to be his dream girl. All she wanted was the name and address of the bride who’d been burgled.
Stacey brought two tall glasses of lemonade into the room. Jacqui took them out of her daughter’s hands before they sloshed over the floor. “It’s just as well you enjoy cooking, Tess. Logan is such a dweeb when it comes to food. If the barbecue hadn’t been invented, he’d starve.”
“Tess taught me how to cook blueberry pancakes,” Logan said with pride. “She’s great with her hands.”
Tess nudged him in the ribs. Hard. Logan coughed and pulled her toward him. He seemed to be getting into the boyfriend groove really fast. She didn’t know what had happened to the threat of his mom’s interest in his life, but it was taking second place to getting close to her.
If Jacqui noticed Tess’ attempt to break one or two of Logan’s ribs, she didn’t say a word. But she did give her brother another confused stare. “How long have you been dating each other?”
Tess wasn’t going anywhere near that question. It could lead to disaster, high expectations and a mom who might have wedding bells on her mind.
“I met Tess when I first moved here. The dating thing is recent.”
Tess smiled. If the man could read her mind, he’d be moving his arm about now.
“I’m just happy he’s found someone special. After what happened in Afghanistan, I never thought he’d be happy again.”
Tess felt Logan retreat long before he moved his arm. Jacqui had touched on something important and her brother had gone into shutdown mode. She put her hand on Logan’s leg and smiled at Jacqui, hoping to take some of the sting out of his sister’s words. “Logan’s a great guy. Bozeman has been good for both of us.”
“We need to leave for the airport,” Logan said. “Otherwise you’re not going to get home.”
Jacqui stood up and held Tess’ hands. “I wish my brother had introduced us sooner. You’re exactly what he needs.”
Tess knew she was the exact opposite of what he needed. But she returned Jacqui’s hug and even managed a smile. “It’s been nice meeting you.” She turned to Logan and touched his arm. “I’ll see myself out. Bye.”
Before
anyone said anything more, she left Logan’s home. After what had just happened she didn’t know how she was going to ask him about the newspaper article. Or how she’d be able to speak to him again.